Articulated car



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E. R. SCHROEDER ET AL ART I CULATED CAR Filed Oct. 6, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l lvlfflfttlnlllllllldl1ra:fvlllfffrvvlllIllinivfllafffulllnllllllnIlrllllllllllnvlla rif;

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ARTI CULATED CAR Filed Oct. 6, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 2# l lll Il INVENTO RS fr/res? @Schroeder ATTORNEY ARTICULATED CAR Filed Oct. 6, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 dori/llaa Patented Apr. 10, 1945 ARTICULATED CAR Ernest R. Schroeder, Hawthorne, and Victor Willoughby, Ridgewood, N. J., assignors. to American Car and Foundry Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application' October 6, 1941, Serial No. 413,716

15 Claims.

This invention relates to articulated cars in general and in particular to articulated cars for use as mine or other industrial cars of the drop bottom type.

In recent years the trend has been toward larger capacity cars for use in mines since so many of the mines are now mechanized and the haul from the loading equipment to the dumping station has become extremely long as the mining progresses. The trend also has been toward cars in which the minimum of dead weight is used which will accordingly permit of the present locomotives hauling more pay material. In mining work the length of the loading room, width of the passageways and curvature of the track, both horizontal and vertical, limits the capacity of individual mine cars. It is an object, therefore, of the present invention to provide a mine car having the maximum capacity possible for a given length car and of a total overall length greater than could normally pass through the mine.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a large capacity mine car carrying substantially twice the material which could be carried by the largest type of car now in use.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a large capacity mine .car in which the ratio of carrying capacity to dead weight has been materially increased.

A yet further object of the invention is the provision of a large capacity mine car of a length materially less than the length of two standard units as now used and in which one set of wheels and axles and couplers has been eliminated.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art from a study of the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the improvedcar having parts broken away and other parts in section to better disclose the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a rear end view of the car;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing substantially half the car at the end axles;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged side view of the joint between the units forming the car;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of one of the connections between the car units;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view disclosing the side frame construction yof one of the units forming the car:

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the Journal box mounting at the center of the car;

Fig. 10 is a side view similar to Fig. 1 but show ing a modified form af articulation Fig.v 11 is a rear end view of the forward unit of the car;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken substantially on Figs. 13 and 14 are side and plan views repsectively of the articulation shown in Fig. 10.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the improvement has been applied to mine cars of the drop bottom type but it will be obvious that the invention could be applied to other types of cars. As clearly shown in the figures, the car is constructed with a forward unit A and a rear unit B, each of which carries at its extreme end couplers C. Also each unit is formed with front and rear end walls 2 and 4 joined to side walls 6 which slope downwardly and inwardly to discharge material through the drop bottom doors D between the track rails (not shown). The end walls and side walls are supported upon an underframe unit which is formed of channel side sills 8, joined together at their outer ends by channel end sills I0. As clearly shown in the figures, the coupler units project into the body of the car and are housed by means of housings I2 fastened to the underframe structure and to the end walls of the car. As is customary in cars of this type the sloping side walls are braced to the underframe by means of gussets I4 and are prevented from spreading by cross ties I6. Thecar is supported adjacent its front and rear ends upon wheels W rotatably mounted on stub axles I8 which in turn support inner bearings I9 and outer bearings 2li (see Figs. 1, 5 and 10) The bearings support the lower ends of lsprings 22, the upper ends of which bear in inverted U-shaped elements 24, the inner of which is connected to the channel side frame 8 and the outer of which is connected to a short bulb angle 25 extending between and suitably attached to adjacent gussets I4. The upper portion of the end door being controlled by a, latch. As clearly shown in Figs. 2 and l1, the latch for unit -A is of more or less standard construction, having an arm pivoted to the car as at 3| and carrying a hook 32 adapted to engage and support; the lug 33 fastened on the rear end of the rearmost door of the unit. The latch and arm are urged to door engaging position by spring 34 as is customary. Due to the projection of the coupler housing into the rear of unit B, the latch has of necessity been modified as shown in Fig. 4. which discloses the latch for the rear of unit B. This latch is formed with a bellcrank arm 36 pivoted to the car as at 31 and connected to an adjustable pull rod 38. The inner end of the pull rod is connected to the latch hook 38 pivoted at its upper end to the coupler housing and at its lower end supporting the lug 48 fixed on the rear edge of the rearmost door of unit B. Upward pressure of arm 30 or bellcrank 36 will, of course, release the rearmost doors of the units A and B, thereby permitting dumping of the entire load carried within the units comprising the car. Although the car units have been described as supported adjacent their ends upon stub axles, it will be obvious that the cars could as readily be supported upon through axles if so desired. It will also be obvious to persons skilled in the art that the preceding description applies in general to more or less standard drop bottom cars with the exception of the latch assembly for the rearmost unit.

As clearly shown in the figures, and particularly Fig. 9, it will be seen` that the side frames 8 of unit B are of channel formation having the flanges 4| directed horizontally outward and extending to a point substantially flush with the vertical end wall of the car. The ends of the side frame or side sill channels are welded or otherwise secured to inverted U-shaped journal box housings 42. The side arms of the journal box housings are connected together across the car by means of bulb angles 44, having the flanges thereof directed toward each other and secured together. Journal boxes are carried within the journal box housings and resiliently support the car through the medium of springs 48. On the forward side of the forward arm of the journal box housings an open box like structure 58 is secured, having vertical openings 5I formed therein to receive a coupling pin 52 later to be referred to. These box like structures, as well as the upper flanges of the side sill members, are gusseted to the journal box housings by gussets 54. Spreading of the journal box housings is prevented by straps 55 which will also serve to retain the through axle 56 in place and prevent its dropping out of the journal box housings. The axle is supported, as clearly shown, upon wheels 51 located at the center of the car, with the axle in turn supporting the journal boxes 45 between the wheels. As clearly shown in Figs. 6, '1 and 8, the coupling pin 52, previously referred to, passes through the horizontal anges58 of a coupling channel 66 adapted to t between the flanges of the side frame of unit A and slide relative to the side frame upon the flanges. The forward end of the coupling channel has attached thereto a plate 6I pierced to receive a bolt 62, which bolt extends through a hole in a plate 64 welded or otherwise secured to the web and flanges of the side frame channels. Interposed between the plates 6| and 64 is what may be termed a buil spring 65, held in place by the bolt and adapted to resist forward movements of.' the coupling channel 60, while interposed between the plate 84 and the nutted end of the bolt is a spring 66 i adapted to resist rearward movements of the coupling channel. Since the coupling channel also must transmit the weight of unit A to the box like structure 50, it is of considerable length and is positively retained within the side frame channels for sliding movement by means of a plate 66 welded or otherwise secured to the flanges of the side frame channels and thereby forming a. box-section for reception of the coupling channel.

It will be seen from the preceding description of the articulation arrangement shown in Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive that unit B is supported directly upon a pair of stub axles and one through axle, while unit A is supported directly upon a pair of stub axles and indirectly through the coupling channel upon the centrally located through axle. The units will operate together as a car and can be coupled in train and handled as any other car. When the car is operating on curves the coupling channels will slide in the side frames of unit A to permit such curving with the movement resisted either by springs 65 or 66, dependent upon the side of the car and the direction of the curve. In normal hauling the coupling channel may also slide in the side frame with the haulage strains absorbed by springs 66 and the bufilng strains absorbed by springs 65. Although no connection has been shown it will be obvious that the coupling channel may be greased by any suitable pressure fitting in order to facilitate its movements within the side frame or side channel of unitA.

In the modified articulation shown in Figs. l0 to 14 inclusive the frame of unit B is substantially identical with that just described in connection with Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive and accordingly wherever possible the same reference numerals have been applied. In this form, however, the box like element has been eliminated from the journal box housings and insteadspaced plates 18 have been welded or otherwise secured to the journal box housings and pierced at their forward ends to receive pivot pins 12. These pivot pins support swinging hanger links 13, the lower ends of which carry pins 14 extending through the web of the side frames of unit A and through a plate 15 positioned parallel to the side frame web and secured to the flanges of the channel, as most clearly shown in Figs. 12, 13 and 14,. The upper flange of the side frames of unit A have been out away, as clearly shown, in order to accommodate the swing links or hangers 13. As

clearly shown in Figs. l1 and 13, a small plate 18 is welded or otherwise secured to the web of the side frames cf unit A and also to plate 15 inwardly of their ends. In this way a housing is provided for resilient buffers 80, preferably formed of rubber and adapted to strike the forward face of 'the journal box housing, thereby eliminating metallic contact. Movements of the hangersn 1l are controlled by means ofrods 82 plvoted to the swing hangers by pins 84. The rods 82 extend through holes in upstanding ears-86 welded or otherwise secured to the journal box housing and to plates 10. The holes in ears 86 are adapted to receive followers 88 spaced apart by springs 90, thus these springs are able to restrict or control horizontal movement of the rod 82 in either direction.

In this modification relative curving between units A and B is accommodated by means of the goes around a curve one of the hangers will rotate slightly in a clockwise direction about pivot 12, while the other will rotate slightly counterclockwise around its pivot 12. During normal haulage of the cars relative movement between units A and B is accomplished by swinging of the hangers 'I3 in unison and under control of springs 90. Since buiiing strains are usually much greater than haulage strains, excessive buil will be absorbed by the rubber units 80 and transmitted directly through the side frames without over stressing springs 90.

From the preceding description it will be seen that for a given curvature the end and central;

city in standard cars would require two cars, thus by constructing the cars as shown and described one set of wheels and axles and one set of couplings is saved. This saving in wheels and axles and couplings is important for at present, particularly with automatic couplings, the cost of automatic couplings is in the neighborhood of onefourth to one-sixth the total cost of the car. Furthermore, by constructing the cars as shown and described, a substantial saving in length is made, for if two standard cars were to be substituted to carry the same load as the articulated car. the overall length would be much greater than the over'all length for the articulated car. This saving in length is important in loading rooms and at dumping stations. Also since one set of wheels and axles and couplers is eliminated, the ratio of useful load to dead weight is materially increased, thereby permitting the present locomotive to haul considerably more useful or pay loads.

Although the invention has been described more or less in detail with specific reference to two modifications thereof, it will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that various other modications and rearrangements of parts may be made and all such modifications and rearrangements of parts are contemplated as will fall within the scope of the appended claims defining our invention:

What is claimed is:

1. An articulated car comprising spaced apart forward and rearward body units carried upon spaced apart underframe units formed with side sills, spaced apart wheel and axle assembly means supporting the remote and adjacent ends of the side sills of said underframe units for movement along trackways, articulating means connecting theside sills of said underframe units for relative longitudinal movements therebetween, and resilient means carried by the side sills of one of said underframe units and acting on said articulating means to control said relative movements of the underframe units.

2. An articulated car comprising spaced apart forward and rearward body units, spaced underframes supporting the body units, wheels adjacent the outer ends of said body units, stub axles supporting said underframes upon said wheels, a wheel and axle assembly located in the space between said body units and supporting the inner end of one of said body units, slide bars carried by the underframe of the other body unit for movement relative thereto and connected to said one oi' said body units whereby the inner ends of said'bodyunlts are supported on said wheel and axle assembly for relative movement between the body units.

3. An articulated car comprising spaced apart forward and rearward body units, spaced underframes supporting the body units, wheels adjacent the outer ends of said body units, stub axles supporting said underframes upon said wheels, a wheel and axle assembly located in the space between said body units and supporting the inner end of one of said body units, slide bars carried by the underframe of the other body unit for movement relative thereto and connected to said one of said body units whereby the inner ends of said body units are supported on said wheel and axle assembly for relative movement between the body units, and resilient means controlling the movements of said slide bars to thereby control the relative movements of said body units.

4. An articulated car comprising spaced apart forward and rearward body units, spaced underframes supporting the body units, wheels adjacent the outer ends of said body units, stub axles supporting said underframes upon said wheels, a

. wheel and axle assembly located in the space between said body units and supporting the inner end of one of said body units, swing hangers pivotally connected to the underframe of said one body unit and being also pivotally connected to the underframe of the other of said body units to support the same for movement relative to said one body unit, and means resiliently connecting said swing hangers and said one body unit to control swinging movement of said swing hangers.

5. An articulated car comprising spaced apart forward and rearward body units, spaced underframes supporting the body units, wheels adjacent the outer ends of said body units, stub axles supporting said underframes upon said wheels, a wheel and axle assembly located in the space between said body units and supporting the inner end of one of said body units, swing hangers pivotally connected to the underframe of said one body unit, said hangers being pivotally connected to the underframe of the other of said body units to support the same for movement relative to said one body unit, and resilient means carried by the underframe of said one body unit and acting directly on said swing hangers to control the movements thereof longitudinally of the car.

6. An articulated drop bottom mine car comprising forward and rearward body units each formed with spaced apart side sills, a plurality of drop bottom doors hingedly carried by each body unit and swingable between said side sills, a latch carried by each of said units and controlling the doors of the respective unit, a plurality of sets of wheels and axles supporting the side sills of said car and located adjacent the center and each end of the car, and means supporting the adjacent ends of the side sills of said units upon the set of wheels and axles adjacent the center of the car, said means being so constructed and arranged as to permit relative angular and longtiudinal movements between the units at all times.

7. An articulated mine car comprising, spaced apart underframe units includding side sills. body units supported on said underframe units, wheels and axles supporting the side sills of said underframe units, journal box housings located adjacent the sides of the car adjacent the longitudinal center thereof and being secured to the lnner ends of the side sills of one ot s'aid underirame units, and means secured to said Journal box housings and supporting the inner ends of lthe side sills of the other of said underframe units on the housings.

8. An articulated mine car comprising, spaced apart underframe units, body units supported on said underframe units, wheelsand axles supporting said underframe units, spaced journal box housings supported on an axle adjacent a 'wheel and being secured to the inner end of one of said to said journal box housings and to the inner ends underframe units, and lever means pivotally secured to said journal box housings and to the inner end of the other of said undertrame units to thereby support said other oi' said underframe "n" units.

9. An articulated mine car comprising, spaced apart underframe units, body units supported on said underframe units, wheels and axl supu.porting said underframe units, spaced journal box i housings supported on an axle adjacent a wheel and being secured to the inner end of one of said underframe units, levers pivotally secured intermediate their ends to said journal box housings and at one of their ends to the inner end .of the other of said underframe units, and resilient means connected to the remaining ends oi' said levers and bearing on parts of the journal box housings to control swinging of said levers.

10. An articulated mine car comprising, spaced apart underframe units, body units supported on said underframe units, wheels and axles supporting said underframe umts, spaced apart journal box housings supported on an axle adjacent a wheel whichsupports the axle and being secured to the inner end of one of said underframe units, at least the inner end portions of the side frames of the other underframe unit being substantially of closed box section, and means slidably carried within said box section portions and connected to said journal box housing whereby said underirame units are supported for movement relative to each other.

l1. An articulated mine car comprising, spaced apart underframe units, body units supported on of the side sills of the other of said body units to support the inner end thereof and joining the body units together.

13. An articulated car comprising, spaced apart body units each including spaced apart side sills. wheels and stub axles supporting the outer ends of said units, journal box housings secured to the inner ends of the side sills of one of the body units, a pair of wheels and a common axle sup porting said journal box housings, and means secured to the inner ends of the side sills of the other of said body units and supported by said journal box housings and joining the body units together.

14. An articulated car comprising, spaced apart body units each including spaced apart side sills, wheels and stub axles supporting the outer ends oi said units, journal box housings secured to the inner ends of the side sills of one of the body units, a pair of wheels and a common axle supporting said journal box housings, and means secured to the inner ends of the side sills of the other of said body units and hingedly connected to said journal box housings to join the body units together and to support the inner end of said other body unit for movements relative thereto.

15. An articulated car adapted to run on rails 60 and comprising, spaced apart body units, Wheels said underframe units, wheels and axles supporting said underirame units, spaced apart journal box housings supported on an axle adjacent a wheel which supports the axle and being secured to the inner end of one of said underframe units, at least the inner end portions of the side frames of the other underframe unit being substantially of closed box section, and means slidably carricd within said box section portions and connected to and axles supporting the remote ends of said units on the rails, a pair of wheels located adjacent the inner ends of the body units, an axle supported by said pair of wheels, and means located adjacent each side of the car and supporting the inner ends of said units on said axle adjacent the adjacent wheel, said means providing the sole support and connection for the inner ends oi' said body units and including resilient means controlling relative longitudinal motion between the body units.

ERNEST R. SCHROEDER. VICTOR WILLOUGHBY. 

